Many companies talk about honors, prizes won, articles published, etc. Stuart Kitchens’ experienced, credentialed people have done all these things. What we think more important though, is how customers feel about our work.Just click “Next” and you’ll see more of the many letters we’ve received.
I am writing to express our belated but no less sincere thanks to the Stuart Kitchens team and, especially, designer Terry Mulhern. Our new kitchen and bathroom are beautiful. In fact they are just what we wanted (though we had little idea of what that was when we began the process) and, especially in the case of the kitchen, works so very well for us. The journey that brought us to your company was relatively long, circuitous and stressful. We began with a group whose designer described her vision in superlatives but delivered a proposal that was uninspired. We took a break. Then we connected with a company who, unbeknown to us, was heading into bankruptcy. We took another break. With understandable trepidation, we began another search, hoping that the third time would be the charm – and it was. Stuart Kitchens was a name we had heard from many sources. In particular, friends with high standards recently had begun the design process with one of your designers, and were impressed with his capacity to hear what they wanted and translate it into a creative design. My husband and I arrived at the Baltimore location without an appointment. Terry welcomed us, and offered a comfortable balance of letting us independently wander through the showrooms, and checking in with us to answer any questions and offer information that we were learning we needed to know. Her warmth, encouragement and humor combined with an obvious depth and breadth of knowledge convinced us that we were in the right place and that she was the right match for us. At the beginning, my only certainty was that I wanted a hidden trashcan and a bigger sink in my kitchen, a tile shower in my bathroom and a clean, more modern design. My husband wanted the right of refusal at each decision point. Not a lot for a designer to go on. Throughout the development process, Terry asked the right questions and carefully listened to our answers. She challenged us to reconsider what we thought we wanted when her aesthetic, financial or market sense suggested that a choice we were considering might not be wise. She was patient when I was ambivalent and understanding when we changed our minds. The result was a design that was unexpected, creative and near perfect. What a relief. But, little did we realize that this was just the beginning. The choices to come seemed endless, but Terry was dependably (Continued on next page) 1 (from previous page) upbeat and encouraging every step of the way. She always kept in mind the big picture when I was mired in too many choices at a particular moment, framing each element as contributing to or competing with the overall design concept. She tirelessly searched for products that were both attractive and functional, and helped me appreciate considerations that had never occurred to me. I am especially fond of her recounting her insistence that I safely try to remove a casserole dish from the microwave/convection oven with which I was enamored. Not possible, but I never would have realized it until it was too late. We also chose to utilize the Stuart team for the construction phase. We were aware of how much we did not know and felt that our peace of mind was worth the price of your experts. We were right. You collected and inspected all of the materials in your warehouse before beginning the actual construction. Moreover, unlike the experiences of some friends who chose other companies and struggled with months of unanticipated delays and mess, you gave us a timeline around which we could plan and upon which we could depend. Your site coordinator, Mark, was an excellent manager, a skilled craftsman and a kind man. When we experienced a life-threatening family crisis, he joined with Terry in assuming responsibility for everything job-related that had been on our own to-do list, freeing us to focus on what was most important. All of the workmen produced quality products and willingly answered all of my questions. John, the plumber, certainly went above and beyond, “rescuing” my cell phone from the storm drain as I was leaving to go out of state. Our remodeled kitchen and bathroom are truly beautiful. At first, I felt as if I were walking into a model home. As I lived with and used them, they have lost their unreal luster and became what they have continued to be – luxurious but practical rooms in our home. As Terry knows, they have triggered a design domino effect. We have made comparatively more minor changes in our spaces so that they are a better fit. We consistently receive compliments on our kitchen and bathroom design. I have recommended Terry, without reservation, to anyone who will listen. I look forward to working with her again when we remodel our other two bathrooms. 2 How are you? We really meant to write much sooner, but you know how quickly time passes ... The process of renovating our kitchen was as smooth as we could have hoped for. We are both rather avid do-it-yourselfers and had contemplated serving as our own general contractor without the help of a kitchen designer. We may have been able to pull it off, but the end result would probably been a lot less refined and we would have undoubtedly had a lot of headaches along the way. Working with you and Stuart Kitchens was, in retrospect, the best decision we could have made. We are so grateful for all that you did to help us build our dream kitchen. We sometimes joke that it is too bad we have only one kitchen so we cannot do it again. Undoubtedly, the experience was so pleasant in large part because of you. Though the contractors were reliable and highly skilled, occasionally we would have a question about the process and you were wonderful about addressing them, no matter how trivial (e.g. Does that handle look crooked? Is the faucet wiggly?) All of our concerns were always taken seriously and taken care of with a "phone call to Harriet." You helped keep us focused when faced with the overwhelming number of design choices. You gave us guidance and lent us your design expertise while still incorporating our personal tastes. Above all, you were an absolute delight to work with. I always looked forward to our meetings! We remember walking into Stuart Kitchens for the very first time and saying to you that we wanted" a magazine kitchen" and our kitchen to look like "a designer had been there”. It's been well over a year since our kitchen project was completed and we wanted to let you know that we still love everything about it. We had been warned that it is impossible to build a kitchen without having some .regrets or second thoughts about design choices. But, truly, we have absolutely none! We were looking for the perfect blend of practical functionality, understated elegance, and the all-important "WOW factor”. We can honestly say that we feel we got it all! Thank you so very much! 3 We want to express our appreciation, and thank you for assisting us with our complete kitchen renovations. As you know, we had felt that our kitchen never had come together for us, despite some improvements we had made on our own, during 1999-2000, when we moved here. However, during our 1st trip to Stuart, when we met you, that all changed for the better. The variety of cabinets that Stuart offers, and the infinite amount of staining combinations, really impressed us. 4 As the mother of four with several family members in the area and a 30+ year-old kitchen that had never been upgraded, I was in desperate need of a renovation. New to major home improvements and somewhat reluctant to take on such a project, I was also anxious to finish quickly with minimum disruption. At my first meeting with Judy Bracht from Stuart Kitchens I knew I had found the perfect designer and contractor for a new kitchen. Judy took me through the process most satisfactorily, explaining all the steps and offering several design options along with very practical advice. She worked hard to incorporate the nontraditional needs and wants of our family. Also, our meetings were conveniently scheduled around my work and personal commitments. Judy was always very pleasant and prepared so that our time together was used wisely and productively. Her personal touch and attention to detail during all phases of the renovation, and even afterwards with the follow-up, really made a difference. Judy was conscious of our budget and provided valuable and professional input for the constant decision-making. Her organizational skills guaranteed that every aspect from the teardown to the material deliveries, installations and utility updates went smoothly. The workers were timely, polite and extremely tidy. It was a pleasure to have them in the house and our living situation was barely disturbed. A small, cramped, dark, inefficient, and outdated kitchen has been turned into a beautiful, multi-functional room with almost one-third more storage and visibility, as well as increased work and sitting space. Judy's design removed the useless areas while keeping what we wanted and incorporating new features. Her commitment and thoroughness during all phases of the project are commendable. The entire experience was so positive that I am now returning to Judy and Stuart Kitchens to have further work done in my home. As a cook who considers it the highest compliment when people come back for seconds, I am giving this same endorsement back to Judy and her work. I highly recommend her to friends and neighbors who are sometimes suspicious of my praise as people tend to dwell on the disasters and complications when discussing home projects. I am willing to provide further references to potential customers and am more than happy to show off my new kitchen at any occasion. 5 Quaker Custom Homes has worked exclusively with Stuart Kitchens since our inception in 1992. From a builder perspective, we can honestly say that partnering with Stuart Kitchens has been one of the best decisions we have ever made. We purchase all of our cabinetry and marble vanity tops from Stuart Kitchens. Our long lasting relationship is due in part to the fact that they are a unique company owned and staffed by professionals geared toward meeting the needs of both the builder and individual clients. Stuart Kitchens' extensive selections and talented design staff have proven to be a very good match for the extremely diversified tastes of our clients. Building custom homes is challenging enough without the burden of working with suppliers who aren't equipped to meet the builder's needs and schedules. The vast majority of every delivery goes as scheduled and planned. In the rare instance when a potential problem arises, all issues are handled promptly and effectively so they don't become a real problem. Stuart Kitchens' large warehouse affords them the ability to store multiple kitchen and bath packages securely until needed on the jobsite. We never have to worry about things associated with many factory direct suppliers ... late or unscheduled deliveries, understaffed delivery trailers or truckloads too large for jobsite conditions. We had a client recently who insisted on using a different cabinet supplier simply because they wanted a brand not offered by Stuart Kitchens. We reluctantly agreed and were presented with a multitude of problems ranging from pricing errors to late deliveries to miscommunications with our client. Ultimately, we had to bring in the pros, Stuart Kitchens, to fix everything. We will not make that mistake again! From scheduling to price inquiries, design issues to customer service, we can always count on Stuart Kitchens to provide professional, personable and outstanding service. Our builder representative, John Kromis, is a joy to work with. He develops a wonderful rapport with our clients and his personal attention to detail is exceptional. We pride ourselves in only working with the best subcontractors in the industry, and Stuart Kitchens is the best in our opinion! 6 We have recently embarked on an extensive kitchen renovation in our Arlington home. We have been in the planning stages on this project for several years. We have considered both a large scale renovation, increasing square footage, and a smaller renovation utilizing existing space. Ronda Royalty has drawn all these floor plans for us, focusing on each one as if it were the final one. She has been patient throughout all our changes and indecision. Our final plan, which is one that utilizes the existing space with a few modifications, is a design that Ronda was able to come up with that meets the needs we have for our use of a kitchen. During the whole process, Ronda came up with creative ideas that we would never have been able to envision. Ronda is excellent at listening to our needs and desires and coming up with a plan that reflects that. 7 Our totally renovated kitchen has recently been completed and we couldn't be more thrilled. While we are not in the habit of writing testimonial letters, we couldn't let another day pass without writing to tell you how fortunate we feel to have been able to work with Vic Williams. He is truly an asset to Stuart Kitchens. 8 Both my wife and I had our own ideals about what we wanted in our new kitchen. We relied heavily upon your experience, opinions, and input to help us make final decisions and selections. In a few cases you could have easily guided us into spending more than we did, but assured us the extra expense would not be worth the end result. Also, it is not often that any contracting business can nail down and hold to deadlines. Initially I was skeptical when you gave us a list of dates when specific steps were to happen. As time went on, you met every date and stayed on schedule. Your experience, professionalism, and constant communications kept us and the kitchen project on track. We had heard the horror stories of friends who had renovated their kitchens and the long lead times they went through along with the contractor problems that they had faced. Entering into this project, we were ready for the worst, but came out with the best experience. Our new kitchen is as close to perfect as could of ever wanted. Please do not hesitate to use us as a reference when working with future customers. 9 WOW! That's all I can say. You, the staff and the contractors of Stuart Kitchens have done an incredible job of remodeling my kitchen. The cabinetry is great and makes a big difference in the warmth of a relatively small space and the SILESTONE countertop is absolutely beautiful. I have shown before and after photos to my coworkers and the praise is universal in the color selection, your design and the craftsmanship of the installation. 10 We want to thank Stuart Kitchens and Certified Kitchen Designer Helen Lang for giving us the kitchen of our dreams! The high level of professionalism exhibited by Helen and the contractors was evident each step along the way, from our first visit to Stuart Kitchens to the completion of our new kitchen. (Continued on next page) 11 (from previous page) Once the project started, Helen was in constant contact with us to ensure that contractors were there, as scheduled, and to follow up on any issues that arose. She dropped by regularly to check on the progress, to make sure benchmark schedules were met and to handle the inevitable problems that cropped up. When the Cambria backsplash on the island was improperly installed, Helen interceded and arranged for the replacement after two further failed attempts, Helen arranged for another company to install the backsplash. Although this could have been very disruptive and could have soured our experience, Helen handled every contact, dealt with all the details and managed to keep our stress level to the minimum. We thoroughly enjoyed working with Helen Lang and Stuart Kitchens. Her oversight of the project coupled with her commitment to customer satisfaction made this a wonderful experience for us. Our new kitchen is so beautiful it could easily be featured on the cover of a magazine. We will definitely recommend Stuart Kitchens and Helen Lang to anyone who wants to have quality work with quality service! 12 This letter notes completion of the third project performed by Stuart Kitchens for us. The first two (remodeling of our kitchen and finishing the basement for a home gym and home theater) were managed by the remarkable David Facey. David, as you must well know, is a pleasure to work with. Clearly the best testimonial of his work is that we returned for a second project and a third. We heartily thank him for his excellent efforts. It was therefore with some trepidation when we approached Stuart Kitchens for the third project, a second remodeling of the master bath (the first was most definitely not performed by Stuart Kitchens as you will soon see), and found that David was not available for this project. That assignment fell to Judy Bracht. It soon became apparent that we had no need for concern for she addressed the task up to the same standards that we have learned is the hallmark of the company. We found Ms. Bracht to be a very capable designer. She made excellent recommendations around our intended objectives, and quickly selected materials and supplies that met our needs. Of course the true measure of performance is when difficulties are encountered during the job. As I indicated this was the second remodeling as the first was due to a structural defect in the house (a floor joist that was cantilevered and not attached on one side of the foundation resulting in a sinking floor and water behind the walls). The first effort was not properly performed resulting in a reoccurrence of the original problem. When the (first rate) workmen (Sebastian and Michael) had de constructed the bathroom they found a rotten underlayment and black mold. Judy had not known the extent of the repairs needed and quickly adjusted work and schedule to accommodate the additional repair. Another example of quick adaption is when we collectively realized the floor tile selected for the bath would not be laid on a flat surface. The edge of the original tile was too sharp and uncomfortable underfoot. Judy worked with us to rapidly find a replacement which eventually proved to be an excellent alternative. In summary, we found Judy Bracht to be a superb representative of Stuart Kitchens and the resulting bathroom is another project well done. Thank you very much. 13 I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the professionalism and hard work of one of your employees, Ms. Ronda Royalty. 14 We had a dinner party the other night, and it reminded us all over again how much we're enjoying our new kitchen, and how grateful we are to you. 15 I want to thank you for my beautiful kitchen! I think I love it more now than I did when I first got to use it! I notice its beauty more now than I did then. 16 Stuart Kitchens is one of our most valued trade partners. Mitchell & Best has enjoyed a wonderful relationship with John Kromis for more than 7 years. He is not only a skilled designer, who knows his product well, he is very market focused and in-tune with what's new, what other builders are doing, and what customers want. John is a professional in managing our account and staying within our budgets, while at the same time realizing that Mitchell & Best wants to offer a little something more than most builders - he works with us to achieve that goal. He has always proved to be of great help to our customers and our construction department and is efficient and accurate and always willing to find a solution to a challenging situation. We have found Stuart Kitchens to be a company of integrity that stands behind their products and services. 17 We write to tell you how proud and pleased we are with our Stuart kitchen. As words alone cannot fully describe our kitchen, we thought the enclosed photograph will give you a better sense of why we are happy customers. 18 Thank you for the fantastic job you did for us designing our kitchen. I was dreading the process having remodeled two kitchens before, but your contribution to the effort made it much more enjoyable and efficient than I could have imagined. You have been responsive to our every request. 19 |
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